[TheForge] Possable Blacksmiths Festival was Re: Testing?

[JAMES REVELLS]

    Thanks Frosty, I am doing as much research into getting this event off 
the ground as I can.  Any additional information is always appreciated.  So 
what would all of you like to see at an event like this.  The area the 
committee is talking about using is the Haystack ski area.  I am told it is 
licensed for camping (the laws of VT in connection to where you can camp are 
strange), has access to showers & toilets as well as lots of parking.  There 
are lots of country inns, B&B places, a couple of inexpensive motels to go 
with the camp grounds & a very nice resort hotel or two.  Right now the most 
likely time for the event looks like either mid July or late August.  I have 
contacted ABANA & the local chapters of ABANA here in the immediate area. 
The North Eastern group is planning on putting together an event near the 
same time as the conference they were originally going to host, but are 
willing to help support our efforts(as long as we don't conflict with their 
dates-which we won't).  LeeAnn Mitchell is forwarding the note I sent her to 
the rest of the ABANA board.  I am going back to the committee on Wednesday 
to give them my suggestions as far as a date & we are going to proceed from 
there.
    So tell me what would get all of you to come to an event all the way up 
in southern Vermont?  What activities, what classes, what competitions would 
get you here?  Are you willing to sell your products in a tent, show the 
public how you make your wares & be entertaining as well as skillful?  What 
is the going rate for blacksmiths to pay for a space at this kind of 
festival?  Should it be two days, five days, seven days or nine days long? 
I, personally, like an event that would start with set up on Tuesday, 
teardown on Monday & open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday.  What 
dates are good for all of you?  Should the show be juried?  Is it a good 
idea to have other artist there doing other kinds of metalsmithing?  The 
more opinions the better!
Thanks,
Jim Revells

Olaf's Plunder

"A Different Kind of Art Gallery & Gift Store"

Open 10 AM to 6 PM
Additional Hours by Appointment

See our web site at:
http://stores.olafsplunder.com

802-464-6200

23 West Main Street
Post Office Box 1926
Wilmington, VT 05363

----- Original Message ----- >
> Welcome aboard Jim.
>
> Somewhere I have the URL for a town that holds an
> annual art festival featuring a blacksmith competition,
> juried show and such. I don't know just where it is but
> will post it when I find it.
>
> Frosty
> -------------------------------
> If it ain't forged
> it ain't real.
> Wrought iron is.
> The FrostWorks
>
> Meadow Lakes, AK.
>
> http://www.artmetalradio.com/
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "JAMES REVELLS" <sudnserv5 at verizon.net>
> To: <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007 8:46 AM
> Subject: [TheForge] Testing?
>
>
>> Hej!
>>    Yes, this is a test.  While I have been receiving
>> the list for a couple of weeks, I have not been able
>> to post to it yet.  Once I am able to post to this
>> list I need to talk to y'all about doing a
>> Blacksmiths Festival here in southern Vermont.  I
>> have gotten approval from the local merchants group I
>> am a part of  to see if one can be set up for the
>> summer of 2008.  The desired time frame from the
>> Committee's point of view is lat June to late August.
>> So what time would be good for any of you interested?
>> I will be contacting ABANA & the local blacksmiths
>> groups here in New England later this week.
>>
>> Besides being a metalsmith, I am part of a group of
>> local merchants, called Celebrate the Valley
>> (http://www.celebrate-the-valley.com/), that is
>> trying to increase the number of visitors to our area
>> in southern Vermont which is known as the Deerfield
>> Valley or Mount Snow area.  The committee puts
>> together several different events each year, which
>> are used as fund raisers for local charities.One of
>> the suggestions I have made is to sponsor a
>> Blacksmiths Festival.   It is under consideration by
>> they committee, but I need more information on who
>> might be interested in being a part of it.  The event
>> would likely become an annual event if it proved to
>> be successful. We are about two hours from both New
>> York & Boston.  This is a seasonal tourist
>> destination in Vermont, so there are an abundance of
>> rooms available, we also have a couple of campgrounds
>> in the area.
>>
>>    My concept of the event is a festival ground of
>> smiths & related craftsmen/women demonstrating to the
>> public how items are made, with some notable smiths
>> giving classes to other smiths after the public is
>> gone, along with some sort of competition for the
>> smiths.  Something like a combination hammer in &
>> craft show dedicated to metalsmihing.   What I am
>> looking for is information on what smiths would want
>> to see in such an event & what has been successful in
>> getting the ironware buying public to show up to buy
>> stuff, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks for your assistance,
>>
>> Jim Revells
>> Olaf's Plunder
>>
>> "A Different Kind of Art Gallery & Gift Store"
>>
>> Open 10 AM to 6 PM
>> Additional Hours by Appointment
>>
>> See our web site at:
>> http://stores.olafsplunder.com
>>
>> 802-464-6200
>>
>> 23 West Main Street
>> Post Office Box 1926
>> Wilmington, VT 05363